AMONG THE A'S CELEBRATION COMES TRAGEDY

Wednesday was to have been a special day for the Oakland Athletics.  Despite a ton of factors working against them, namely injuries, the schedule and a team made up of a whole slug of no-names, was in essence a one-game winner take all American League West title game against the Texas Rangers.

To say this season was a replay of sorts to "Moneyball", the movie released this past year of the 2002 version of the Oakland Athletics, you might be accurate.  Except this......

"Something happened to the Oakland A's family on Wednesday that put the joy of winning the AL West and making the playoffs in the proper perspective.  A's reliever Pat Neshek and his wife, Stephanee, suffered a tragedy when their newborn son died less than 24 hours after being born.

While his teammates were celebrating a playoff spot, Neshek, who had left the team on Tuesday to be with his wife during the childbirth, tweeted the following:

"Please pray for my family.  Tonight my wife and I lost our first and only son 23 hours after he was born with no explanation".   That tweet just a few hours after Neshek had excitedly tweeted the news of the birth, including a photo of his new born son, named Gehrig John Neshek.

As Unexplainable as it gets.......  

Later Wednesday, Stephanee Neshek tweeted:

"I am at a loss for words right now....he died peacefully sleeping in my arms unexpectedly without any explanation.  There was no cause of death and I am having trouble understanding why God can let such a thing happen to an innocent being".

In a statement, the A's said:  Our hearts go out to Pat and Stephanee and we share in their sorrow of losing their young son.  The entire A's organization will keep the Neshek family in our prayers and thoughts, as they try to come to grips with this tragic occurrence in their lives".

Gehrig John Neshek weighed 8 pounds and 5 ounces at birth.  Healthy by all accounts.  What caused his death?  I'm not sure if we'll ever know.  But for the Neshek's,  I hope and pray that an autopsy will find something to shed some light.  And if not, I pray the Neshek's see God's provision of direction through this difficult time.

Kind of puts life and sport in perspective, doesn't it?  As you watch Oakland and the Detroit Tigers battle it out in the playoffs beginning Friday......keep the Neshek's in your prayers. In fact, say one for them.  Just them and little Gehrig John.  No game, no win, no big-time contract can ever replace what they lost this week.  That's for sure.....

Thanks for reading,

John